Faf du Plessis helps RCB to 13-run win over Chennai

Chennai Super Kings were eliminated from play-off potential with a 13-run loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore who reignited their stuttering campaign with an important victory in their IPL match at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Wednesday.

RCB posted a challenging total of 173 for eight and, despite an innings of 56 from 37 balls by South African Kiwi Devon Conway, CSK fell comfortably short on 160 for eight after Conway was caught slog-sweeping to deep midwicket.

Moeen Ali’s 34 from 27 balls briefly kept Chennai’s hopes alive but two wickets from Glenn Maxwell (4-0-22-2) and three from Harshal Patel (4-0-35-3) ensured a comfortable win.

Earlier, Sri Lankan mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana claimed three wickets in the 19th over of RCB’s innings to apply the brakes but Dinesh Karthik then clubbed Dwaine Pretorius for two sixes in the final over to help his team reach their winning total.

Faf du Plessis did the bulk of the scoring during the power play as RCB reached an impressive 57 for no loss in the first six overs plundering 38 from 22 balls (4x4, 1x6) while opening partner Virat Kohli scored at a run-a-ball.

But the introduction of England offspinner Moeen (2-28) into the attack halted the momentum as he dismissed both men, Du Plessis caught at deep midwicket and Kohli (30 from 33 balls) by a beauty which spun appreciably from off-stump to hit the top of leg.

SHARING THIRD PLACE

Glenn Maxwell (3) was run out by a slick piece of fielding from veteran Robin Uthappa at midwicket and Rajat Patidar’s brief flourish of 21 from 15 balls was ended with Pretorius’s first delivery which he pulled to deep midwicket where Mukesh Choudhary held and excellent, sprawling catch.

Mahipal Lomror top-scored with 42 from 27 balls before driving a low full-toss from Theekshana to long-on and fellow Sri Lankan Wanindu Hasaranga drove another full toss straight to long-off. Two balls later Shabhaz Ahmed (1) was bowled by Theekshana who finished with 3-27.

But Karthik finished with an unbeaten 26 from 17 balls while Pretorius’s expensive final over left him nursing figures of 1-42 from three overs.

RCB moved into a share of third place and reignited their faltering campaign with a sixth victory in 11 matches while Chennai, with just three wins in 10 matches, will have to focus on next year.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE: Faf du Plessis (capt), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Mahipal Lomror, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwaine Pretorius, Simarjeet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary, Maheesh Theekshana